President Kenyatta condoles Israel on Shimon Peres death

September 28, 2016 2:03 pm

President Kenyatta send message of condolence to Israel following the death of Perez.

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 28 – President Uhuru Kenyatta joined other world leaders in condoling Israel and the family of former President Shimon Peres of Israel had passed away Wednesday morning.

In a statement, President Kenyatta described him as a man full of vigor and a leader who served his country with distinction.

“In this moment of sorrow, my thoughts and prayers go out to his family, and to Israel, the country which he fought so hard to establish, which he served with such distinction, and which he was eventually elected to lead, he stated.

The Head of State indicated that he will be remembered as a man of courage who was never afraid to fight for what was right and was always ready to make peace when the time was right.

“I last saw him a few months ago. He was full of vigour, and he dispensed good advice, gleaned from half a century of public service. I learned much from his advocacy for peace and reconciliation advocacy which was recognised with the award of a Nobel Peace Prize,” he said.

He said he was a man I who was resolute in his defense of democracy against the forces of extremism and terror.

“Israel has lost a statesman. On behalf of the people of Kenya, I pray that God will grant his family and his nation the strength to bear the loss,” he said.

US President Barack Obama hailed Peres as a friend who refused to give up on the dream of peace, while former president Bill Clinton called him “a genius with a big heart.”

Shimon Peres, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who was prime minister of Israel on three separate occasions before becoming the country’s president, died at 93 years.

Chemi Peres confirmed his father’s death Wednesday morning to reporters who were gathered at the hospital where Shimon Peres had been treated for the past two weeks.

Peres’ condition deteriorated following a massive stroke two weeks ago that led to bleeding in his brain. He was sedated on a respirator during most of his hospitalization.